We want to make a 1st class seat reservation for EC163 (Zurich 8h40- Innsbruck 12h11) to see the views in the panorama carriage, but we only have 2nd class passes. In the Interrail.eu website, it only appears the option “Seat 2nd class“ but in the OBB wesite it seems to have a choice, as shown in the image below:
Is it possible?
You can make a reservation in first class, but you will then also need to pay the difference between the 2nd and 1st class fares. Probably the difference between the full fares, which will not be cheap.
You need to buy a class upgrade first, before you’ll be able to do that with the ticket inspector.
I don’t know exactly how much the upgrade would be, but I think at least 35 eur extra per person (the surcharge for 1st class on the website for sparpreis tickets).
If someone else who’s more familiar with this could confirm?
Thank you for your reply
When you say “you will then also need to pay the difference between the 2nd and 1st class fares.”, when is this difference paid? Because if I continue the payment process in the OBB wesite, it only appears 3€ (per person).
You can do that for one specific travel. The class upgrade for that trip will be the price difference between 1st and 2nd class on the day you travel. It can get costly. I don’t know if you can buy it online.
You can't upgrade a pass. You can exchange it, but only if it's not activated and if it's exchangeable (check your confirmation mail).
For this journey, you can't upgrade the reservation.
To buy an upgrade, the best is to ask at a ticket office or call SBB or ÖBB.
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